Samuel w



(No Model.)

S. W. GAINESi FLAX FULLER.

No. 249,921. Patented N0v.-Z2,188 1.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

SAMUEL WV. GAINES,

PATENT GFFIGE.

OF SO10, OREGON.

FLAX-PULLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,921,, datedNovember 22, 1881.

-Application filed April 23, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. GAINES, of Scio, in the county of Linn andState of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFlax-Pullers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same. Fig.3 is a sectional elevation of apart of the reel, enlarged.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the pulling of fia-X.

1n the accompanying drawings, A represents the frame of the machine. Bare the wheels, which revolve upon the axle O, attached to the rearparts of the side bars of the frame A.

To one of the wheels B is attached a gearwheel, I), the teeth of whichmesh into the teeth of a small gear-wheel, E, pivoted to a side bar ofthe frame A.

To the outer end of the journal of the gearwheel E is attached a pulley,F, around which passes a chain or other suitable belt, Gr. The belt Galso passes around a pulley, H, attached to the journal of a drum, I,the journals of which revolve in hearings attached to the side bars ofthe frame A. The drum I is twelve inches (more or less) in diameter, andis covered with wool, cotton, or other suitable material, which is keptin place by a covering of canvas or other suitable material. The drum Iis thus covered with a yielding padding, which should be about an inchthick, and which prevents the flax-stalks from being crushed while beingpulled. To the other journal of the drum Iis attached apulley, J, aroundwhich passesabelt,K. The beltK also passes around a pulley, L, attachedto the journal of the reel-shaft M. The pulleys J L are made of the samesize, and the belt K is crossed, so that the adjacent parts, of the reeland the padded drum will move at the same speed and in the samedirection. 1

To the reel-shaft M are attached radial arms N, which are arranged inpairs, and the outer ends of each pair of arms enter the holes in thereel-bars 0. The bars 0 are secured to -the said arms.

strong spiral springs R placed upon the arms N, with the inner endsresting against the shaft M, or against shoulders or collars formed uponor attached to the arms N, and their outer ends resting against thereel-bars O.

The arms N are made of such a length that the. bars 0 will be pushedback about an inch by contact with the padded drum I, against which thesaid bars are held by the pressure of the springs It. The reel-shaft Mrevolves in bearings in the ends of the bars S, the other ends of whichare secured to the rear parts of the side bars of the frame A. Theforward parts of the bars S are slotted longitudinally to receive thestandards T, attached to the side bars of the frame A. The barsSandstandards T have a number of holes formedthrough them to receive thepins a, that secure them to each other, so that the reel can be adjustedhigher or lower, as may be required.

To the frame A, in the rear of the padded drum I, is attached aplatform, V, of zinc or other suitable material, and which is slightlyinclined to the rearward, so that the pulled flax, when released fromthe drum I and the reel-bars 0, will slide down the platform V, whenceit can be conveniently raked off.

To the rear cross-bar of theframeAis hinged the cross-bar W of thetongue X.

To the rear end of the tongueX is attached a standard, Y, to the rearside of which. is hinged a standard, Z, having a small wheel, a, pivotedto its lower end.

To the upper end of the standard Z is' attached a lever, 11, so that thesaid standard Z can be conveniently turned upon its hinges to turn thewheel a and guide the machine.

To the rear part of the tongue Xis attached the lower end of a standard,0, which is curved forward, and its upper end passes through a keeperattached to or a slot formed in the rear partof the lever d. The middlepart of the lever 01 is pivoted to a standard, 0, attached to the rearcross-bar of the frame A, and. its forward end is pivoted to the centercross-bar of the frame A, or to a short stud attached to the saidcross-bar. With this construction, by operating the lever d, the forwardend of the frame A can be raised and lowered as the height of the flaxto be pulled may require.

The lever (I, when adjusted, can be secured to the curved standard 0 bya pin or other convenient fastening.

In using the machine, as it is moved forward the flax will be clampedbetween the reel-bars O and the padded drum I, and will be pulled by thesaid reel and drum and deposited upon the platform V, whence it can beraked off by hand, or by an automatic mechanism connected with anddriven from the driving mechanism of the machine.

Having thus fully described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the reel-shaft M,having radial arms N, arranged in pairs, of the spring-held reel-bars 0,having holes that receive the outer ends of each pair of arms, and pinsP, which pass through said arms and slots Q of said bars, as shown anddescribed.

2. In flax-pullers, the drum I, surrounded by wool or cotton coveredwith canvas, as shown and described.

3. In a flax-puller, the combination, with the frame A and a drivingmechanism, of the padded roller I and the reel having springpressed bars0, whereby the flax'stalks will be grasped and pulled without beingcrushed, substantially as herein shown and described.

SAMUEL WASHIXG'JON GAINEQ.

Witnesses:

F. M. GRABTREE, J. S. MORRIS.

